Cathe Live Review: Shock Body Bootcamp (#339)
Shock Body Bootcamp is a no repeat, cardio and strength, workout using the step. This was a pretty challenging strength routine with a little bit of cardio at the start of each circuit. As you may have suspected, if you are a regular reader of this blog, I may possibly have been (definitely was!) procrastinating over doing this routine, as cardio on the step is definitely not my favourite. However, today I decided was the day so just got on and did it. Unfortunately, as I suspected, I didn’t love this routine but the strength work was very good.
The workout consists of five circuits. Each circuit includes a step cardio and a strength move for the upper body, lower body and core. The cardio intervals are approx. 90 seconds each, according to Cathe, (I didn’t time them but that seems about right) and she says you can modify to do your own non-step cardio, in this timeframe, if you want to. If I ever return to this routine, I will do that in future, but I wanted to do it as she intended for purposes of this review. The step cardio is actually not that intense even though you are doing it for a while. This time it is less plyo jumping on and off the step and more often Power 3’s, jump shots, knee lifts etc so although they did get my heart rate up a little, I was never strongly challenged cardio-wise. The only more intense move was the first circuit that included straddle jumps and burpees. As I really don’t like these, I did end up modifying them so I just jumped up on the floor rather than onto the step. There is also no complex choreography, for any of the intervals, as they are all just a few moves repeated for a number of sets.
The strength moves are a really good mix of more traditional exercises with a few interesting twists, such as, beast plank walks and a different bird dog variation. I liked the strength work in this routine a lot, as I found it challenged the body in slightly different ways, including more core engagement and balance for some of the moves, such as, the 1 arm rows in plank and the 1 arm overhead press with front raise hold. Most of the moves are also compound exercises, using multiple muscle groups at one time, and this also helps to keep the workout more metabolic throughout. Cathe is using a range of dumbbells from 5 to 20 pounds. For some of the moves she did go a bit lighter than usual as she said she wanted to focus more on muscle endurance. However, others she did use heavier weights, such as, for squats, deadlifts and double arm rows. I increased on a few and would do so more next time, as the rep speed is very controlled. The rep range varied throughout the routine and some are pretty high rep, however, Cathe varied the tempos or combined moves together to keep you challenged and interested. The push-up / dip combo, at the start, I found quite challenging along with the 1 arm rows in plank.
Each circuit ends with core work and I really enjoyed each of the different moves used in this routine. As mentioned, there are some interesting variations in here and Cathe ends with a favourite from the Step Boss Bonus Ab Stacker routine (detailed review HERE) – “stacking crunches”, which are just plain fun!
Overall, a varied cardio and strength circuit workout that works a little bit of everything.
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The Workout
Shock Body Bootcamp is a cardio and strength circuit workout consisting of five rounds each including a step cardio interval, upper body compound move, lower body compound move and a core compound move.
What You Need to Know
(Rating scale – 1= lowest & 5 = highest).
The Moves
Shock Body Bootcamp is 49 minutes long and originally aired on 18th March 2021 (#339). The workout starts with a 6 minute warm-up, using 5 pound dumbbells, before moving into the first circuit. The step, with two risers on each side, is set up horizontally in front of you at the start of the workout and the step height does not change during the routine. Cardio moves shown below in bold italics.
Circuit 1
Squat thrust, straddle jump & 2 jump rope – step – 8 reps & 10 reps
6 Push-ups / 12 tricep dips – step – 4 sets
2 Uneven squat off side of step / 3 rear pulse lunges – one 12# Db (I used 1x 15#) & step – 8 sets
Bird dog variation (straight leg & arm out to opposite sides then knee to elbow) – mat – 10 reps each side
Circuit 2
Alternating step taps / knee lifts / outer thigh lifts – step – 50 reps
Sumo squat & 1 arm concentration curl – one 15# Db – 4x singles, 4x 3’s, 2x 7’s, 4x singles & 2x 3’s
Deadlifts – two 20# Dbs – 18 reps
Side lying jack knife – mat – 24 reps each side
Circuit 3
Power 3’s / 2 jump shots – step – 8 sets
1 Arm overhead press w/ 1 arm front raise hold – one 10# & one 5# Db – 4 sets of 8 reps
Elevated lunges / lunge hops (lifting front heel) – one 12# Db & step – 16x elev lunge & 32x lunge hops each side
1 Arm row in plank (one hand on step) – one 20# Db & step – 16 reps each side
Circuit 4
2 Knees (on step), tap down & 2 power scissors / Power 3’s – step – 6 sets
Double arm hinged back rows – two 20# Dbs – 2 sets of 16 reps
Squats – two 20# Dbs – 26 reps
Decline beast to plank step-ups / step-outs (start in beast w/ feet on floor then step back into plank w/ feet on step then step out & in) – step – 18 reps
Circuit 5
Knee off side & 2 lateral hops across step / Power 7 – step – 8 sets & 2x Power 7
Lying tricep extensions – two 10# Dbs (I used 12’s) & step – 24 reps (various tempos / format)
Deadlift / bicep curl/ squat (deadlift w/ Db reaching down twds feet; bicep curl at top & hold Db at chest for squat) – one 20# Db (I used 1x 25#) – 12 reps
Stacking crunches (lying on back w/ 4 risers in front of feet, grab 1 riser (underhand) every time you do a crunch, flip it over head & place each on top of the other just behind head. Then repeat taking each riser as you do a sit up & stacking them at the front of feet) – 4 risers & mat – 3 sets
The workout ends with a 3 minute cool down and stretch.
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If you liked this workout, check out my review of Cathe Live: Better Body Bootcamp (#257) – HERE.
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